RELEASE OF CYTOST 57 



These experiments show that distention of the stom- 

 ach results in the production of a toxic substance and 

 this is in agreement with the clinical findings. It will 

 be remembered that in the preceding chapter experi- 

 ments were presented which showed that a state of 

 shock could be induced by distending the stomach 

 with air. In the latter case a sufficiently high con- 

 centration of toxins was produced to yield general- 

 ized effects. In both instances, however, the libera- 

 tion of the toxic substance is due to the same cause — 

 dilation of the stomach — but in the shock experiments 

 the forced dilation was of considerably greater dura- 

 tion. 



How, we may now ask, is the toxin produced? 

 When the stomach is dilated by any means blood is 

 forced out of the vessels in the wall of the organ. In 

 using the method of intermittent dilation which has 

 been discussed above, it was noted that "at the rest 

 pause, the peritoneal walls became bluish-purple, and 

 the vessels engorged. As each distention occurred, the 

 outer wall showed an anemic appearance from stretch- 

 ing, when upon releasing the air it would become rosy 

 in tint and hyperemic. After a repetition of this 

 dilation, the engorgement of the vessels disap- 

 peared. (Turck, 1903a.) Further, in an experiment 

 in which the femoral vein was exposed it was noted 

 that distention of the stomach by air caused a dis- 

 tention of the vein, which reverted to its normal 

 size when the air was permitted to escape from the 

 stomach. 



Such circulatory disturbances must of necessity 

 interfere with the normal metabolic processes of the 

 cells of the stomach tissues; hence, as has been dis- 



